Kinsley S. Bingham | |
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| United States Senator fromMichigan | |
| In office March 4, 1859 – October 5, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | Charles E. Stuart |
| Succeeded by | Jacob M. Howard |
| 11th Governor of Michigan | |
| In office January 3, 1855 – January 5, 1859 | |
| Lieutenant | George Coe |
| Preceded by | Andrew Parsons |
| Succeeded by | Moses Wisner |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's3rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851 | |
| Preceded by | James B. Hunt |
| Succeeded by | James L. Conger |
| Member of theMichigan House of Representatives from the Livingston County district Livingston/Ingham Counties (1841) | |
| In office 1841–1842 Serving with Charles P. Bush | |
| Preceded by | Charles P. Bush and Amos E. Steele |
| Succeeded by | Charles P. Bush and Ely Barnard |
| Member of theMichigan House of Representatives from the Livingston and Ingham Counties district Washtenaw County (1837) | |
| In office 1837–1839 Serving with O. Howe, O. Kellogg, G. Shattuck, T. Lee, J. Kingsley, R. Purdy, E. Case (1837) Flavius J. B. Crane (Livingston, 1838) Ira Jennings (Livingston/Ingham, 1839) | |
| Preceded by | R. E. Morse, John Brewer, Rufus Matthews, Orrin Howe, George Howe, Jas. W. Hill, Alanson Crossman |
| Succeeded by | Charles P. Bush and Amos E. Steele |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1808-12-16)December 16, 1808 Camillus, New York |
| Died | October 5, 1861(1861-10-05) (aged 52) Green Oak Township, Michigan |
| Political party | Democratic,Free Soil,Republican |
| Spouse | 1.Margaret Warden2.Mary Warden |
Kinsley Scott Bingham (December 16, 1808 – October 5, 1861) was aU.S. Representative, aU.S. Senator, and the 11thgovernor of Michigan.
Bingham (whose first name is sometimes spelledKingsley) was born to the farmer family of Calvin and Betsy (Scott) Bingham inCamillus, New York inOnondaga County. He attended the common schools and studied law inSyracuse. In 1833, while still in New York, Bingham married Margaret Warden, who had recently moved with her brother Robert Warden and family fromScotland.
Bingham moved with his wife, in 1833 toGreen Oak Township, Michigan where he was admitted to thebar and began a private practice. In 1834, his only child with Margaret, Kinsley W. Bingham (1838–1908), was born and his wife died four days later. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and held a number of local offices includingjustice of the peace,postmaster, and first judge of theprobate court ofLivingston County.
Bingham became a member of theMichigan State House of Representatives in 1837, was reelected four times and served asspeaker of the house in 1838–1839, and 1842.[1] In 1839, Bingham married Mary Warden, the younger sister of his first wife, and in 1840 their only child was born, James W. Bingham (1840–1862).
In 1846, he was elected as aDemocratic Representative fromMichigan's 3rd congressional district to the30th and31st Congresses, serving from March 4, 1847 to March 3, 1851. He was chairman of theCommittee on Expenditures in the Department of State in the 31st Congress. He was instrumental in securing approval for building theBeaver Island Head Lighthouse on the south end ofBeaver Island inLake Michigan. He was strongly opposed to the expansion ofslavery and was one of minority of Democrats who supported theWilmot Proviso. Bingham was not a candidate for re-election in 1850 and resumed agricultural pursuits. He affiliated himself with theFree Soil Party and was later aRepublican.
In 1854, Bingham was elected as the 11th (and first Republican)governor of Michigan[2] and was re-elected in 1856; he is among the first Republicans to be elected governor of any state. He was known as thefarmer-Governor of Michigan and was instrumental in establishing the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan (today,Michigan State University) and other educational institutions such as the State Reform School. Also during his four years in office, a personal liberty law was sanctioned, legislation that regulated the lumber industry was authorized, and several new counties and villages were established. He was also a delegate from Michigan to theRepublican National Convention in 1856 that nominatedJohn C. Fremont forU.S. President, who lost toDemocratJames Buchanan.
Bingham was elected as aRepublican to theUnited States Senate in 1858 and served in the36th and37th Congresses from March 4, 1859, until his death on October 5, 1861. He was chairman of theCommittee on Enrolled Bills in the 37th Congress. He campaigned actively for the election ofU.S. PresidentAbraham Lincoln in 1860.
He died inGreen Oak while in office at age 52 and was originally interred at a private family graveyard inLivingston County. He was reinterred at Old Village Cemetery ofBrighton, Michigan.
There are three townships named for him in Michigan:
A painting of Bingham now hangs in the Michigan State Capitol.[3][4]
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| Party political offices | ||
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| First | Republican nominee forGovernor of Michigan 1854,1856 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | United States Representative for the 3rd Congressional District of Michigan 1847–1851 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Governor of Michigan 1855–1859 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. senator (Class 2) from Michigan 1859–1861 Served alongside:Zachariah Chandler | Succeeded by |
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| Class 2 | ||
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